1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motorcycle.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is known a motorcycle that is driven and traveled by driving a motor with electric power generated by a fuel cell unit. The motorcycle includes a hydrogen tank that stores a hydrogen gas, a fuel filling joint for filling the hydrogen gas in the hydrogen tank, a plurality of pressure reducing valves connected to the hydrogen tank, and a fuel cell unit that generates electric power via a reaction of the hydrogen gas and oxygen gas in air. The motorcycle includes a frame that fixes devices such as the hydrogen tank, the fuel filling joint, the plurality of pressure reducing valves, and the fuel cell unit and a relay pipe that hydraulically connects the devices (see, for example, Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-078622)).
As a procedure for attaching and fixing the devices such as the hydraulic tank, the fuel filling joint, the plurality of pressure reducing valves, and the fuel cell unit, there is a procedure for first hydraulically connecting the devices using the relay pipe and then attaching and fixing the devices to the frame while keeping the hydraulic connection of the devices and the relay pipe (hereinafter referred to as “pipe-connection-first procedure”). There is also a procedure for first attaching and fixing the devices to the frame and then hydraulically connecting the devices using the relay pipe (hereinafter referred to as “frame-attachment-first procedure”). In both procedures, a channel for leading the hydrogen gas from the hydrogen tank to the fuel cell unit needs to undergo a leak inspection for applying normal pressure to the channel to guarantee air tightness for each of connected portions.
However, in the pipe-connection-first procedure, the devices such as the hydrogen tank, the joint, the plurality of pressure reducing valves, and the fuel cell unit need to be collectively attached to the frame. Therefore, it is difficult to keep a relative positional relation among the devices. It is highly likely that a change in the relative positional relation occurs. The change in the relative positional relation among the devices damages the relay pipe and joint portions of the relay pipe and the devices and causes a leak.
In the frame-attachment-first procedure, naturally, the leak inspection is performed in a state in which the devices such as the hydrogen tank, the joint, the plurality of pressure reducing valves, the fuel cell, and the relay pipe are attached to the frame. Therefore, weight of an inspection target increases and easiness of handling is deteriorated. When the frame is located in a vicinity of the joint portions of relay pipes and the devices, workability of the leak inspection is deteriorated. Further, reliability of the inspection is likely to be deteriorated. Moreover, the deterioration in the easiness of handling and the workability of the inspection is inappropriate for a line production system.